Stu Johnston

Stu Johnston has a diverse work experience spanning over several decades. Stu began their career in the US Navy, where they served as an Auxillaries Officer and later as a 2nd Division Officer on the USS Saipan LHA-2. During their time in the Navy, Stu managed large teams and budgets, maintaining and repairing valuable machinery. Their exceptional performance earned him awards, including the Navy Commendation Medal and the Navy Achievement Medal.

After leaving the Navy, Stu joined Lederle Laboratories as a Research Associate before transitioning to Exelixis, where they held various roles. Stu started as an Associate Research Scientist and progressed to roles such as Senior Research Scientist, Genoptera Program Manager, and Associate Director. Stu led cross-functional research teams, managed the discovery process for small molecule inhibitors, and developed assays for insecticidal leads. Stu also managed the Genoptera Joint Venture, overseeing research plans and resource allocation.

Following their time at Exelixis, Stu moved on to Nektar Therapeutics, where they held positions such as Associate Director, Director, Senior Director, and finally, Executive Director of Program Management. In these roles, they led teams of clinical trial managers and oversaw multiple phase I-III oncology trials. Stu was responsible for staffing, performance, and training of team members, and they ensured aggressive management of data collection goals.

Most recently, Stu became the Vice President of Program and Alliance Management at CytomX Therapeutics. In this role, they use their extensive experience to oversee programs and alliances.

Throughout their career, Stu has consistently demonstrated strong leadership skills, effectively managing teams and projects. Stu has a proven track record of achieving goals, meeting timelines, and successfully delivering results.

Stu Johnston pursued their education in a chronological manner. From 1984 to 1988, they attended Duke University, where they focused on Biological Chemistry and obtained their degree. Later, from 1993 to 2000, they enrolled at Princeton University and successfully completed their Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology.